The Discreet Hero by Mario Vargas Llosa

Winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2010, Vargas Llosa’s most recent work of fiction is an enjoyable, captivating read. The book actually contains two discreet heroes, Felicito Yanaque, a man who refuses to be extorted by thugs, and Don Rigoberto, who acts as a witness at his ex-boss’s wedding knowing full well that the boss’s twin sons will seek revenge on him. In alternating chapters, we learn each man’s point of view, as well as their lives and those of their families. A thought-provoking page turner which becomes contrived towards the conclusion.